Tag Archives: couples

So you’re engaged… now what?

If you’re one of the millions of ladies who were surprised with a proposal during the holidays, you are probably still basking in the glow of being a new bride-to-be. But there are a few things you should do soon after you become engaged and before you get into the minutiae of wedding planning.

Here are eight things you should take care of right away:

Call your closest family and friends. Share your exciting news with both sets of parents and immediate family (siblings, grandparents) first, and then call your closest friends. Give the courtesy of a call before sharing it on Facebook or other social media.

Get your ring sized. If you’re lucky, your fiancé got your ring properly sized before popping the question, but more than likely, it’s a little too big or too tight. Get it resized ASAP so you can show off your stunning sparkler to everyone without the risk of it falling off and getting lost. Most jewelers can resize your ring in a few hours, or at most, a few days.

Get your ring insured. It’s crucial to insure your new ring. If you have home owner’s or renter’s insurance, you can usually add the ring to your existing policy. You may need an official appraisal before you can do so, so call your insurance broker to see what is required. If you don’t already have an existing policy, it may be cheaper to buy a policy and add your ring to it.

Set a date. The first thing your friends and family will ask you after they’ve “Ooohed” and “Aaahed” over your new bling is “When is the wedding?” Even if you cannot set a specific date this early, at least have a time frame decided upon, such as “early 2017” or “later this fall.” This will satisfy people’s curiosity and give you some direction as you begin making plans.

Get social. Set up a wedding blog or Facebook page to keep everyone in the loop of your wedding news. You can share photos of your new ring and of you and your fiancé to get started. Be as creative and as detailed as you want, giving information about a date or time frame and location (at least the city, not necessarily the venue yet). Only invite friends and family you KNOW you will invite to the wedding to be a part of the Facebook page or blog—you can add more people later on when you have a finalized guest list and also add more wedding details like hotel information, maps, location info, menu, etc., as you get them.

Get a wedding planner. Not a person (not yet) but a planning book. There are lots of planners available that will help you keep all your wedding planning details organized. Or you can also get a smart phone app if you prefer.

Ask your parents for their ideal guest lists. Ask your parents and your fiancé’s parents for their ideal guest list—a list of friends and family they would invite if there were no limits. Ask them to organize the list into tiers of “must invite” and so on to make it easier to cut the guest list later on. Once you get this list, you will have a preliminary idea of how many guests will be at the wedding; that number will dictate many other decisions you will make—from venue to invitations to number of tables needed.

Take some couple time. Take some special time now for just the two of you. Once you start getting involved in all of the wedding planning, parties, showers and celebrations, there won’t be many “just the two of you” moments. Make an effort to NOT talk about wedding planning, and just spend time enjoying each other and celebrating this very special time in your lives.